Part II

Tru sat in bed for a minute, just thinking. This was a rare occurrence. She didn't know what Jack did and didn't know. Even if he did, would he try to stop it? Would he want to preserve his own life? She let out a breath and picked up the phone. First order of business was to give Harrison a heads up about his pick pocket. The line rang for three or four times on the other end before someone picked up.

"Hello?" a groggy sounding Harrison answered.

"Harry, it's Tru. You picked up a girl last night, is she still there?" Tru said, climbing out of bed and starting to pace around the room.

"Yeah...how did...it's one of those days, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Harry. It's one of those days. So is she still there?"

"Yeah...she's asleep." A pause. "Shit...what happened yesterday?"

"She took your wallet and keys."

"Are you serious?"

"Might want to hide them a little better this time."

"Thanks for the heads up, sis. Anything else I need to know?"

"I may need your help later today. But for now, do you think you could go see Mer. Tell her we miss her?"

"Yeah sure...I guess. She's getting out of rehab in a couple weeks right?"

"Yeah. Your New Years Resolution was to spend more time with her."

"Oh...well good on me...even if I don't remember saying it."

"You're a good little brother, Harrison. But I have to go," Tru said, hanging up.

She headed for the bathroom, taking a quick shower. Just as she stepped out of the shower, the phone began to ring. She picked up.

"Hey Davis," she greeted.

"Hi Tru."

"Glad you had a good time at the party the other night but don't try to talk me out of coming to work today. I'll see you in like a half hour. We need to talk."

"Uh...ok. It's one of those days."

"Yeah. It is."

Tru tossed the phone on her bed and scrambled to get dressed. She'd have to put off talking to Jensen until later. The rewind day and its cause were more important. Grabbing a slightly bruised apple from the fridge, Tru headed for her car. When she arrived at the morgue, she found Davis sitting at his desk, looking expectant.

"Anything I need to know?" Davis asked as she Tru shut the door behind her.

"Jack."

"Jack?" Davis raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"He was the one that died yesterday. He asked for my help."

Davis simply stared at Tru in disbelief. He never imagined Jack would ask for Tru's help. It would after all upset the universal balance.

"You're sure it was Jack?"

"Yes. I don't know what to do, Davis. It's Jack...bane of my existence and constant pain in my ass."

"I agree he does present quite a problem but do you really think it's smart to ignore his call for help?"

"What if I let him die, Davis? What if I don't save him? What does that do to the universe?"

"I...I'm not sure. From what I understand there must be equal and opposite forces at work...Newton's law."

"So what...you're saying someone else would take his place?"

"It's possible. I get the feeling he knows more about it than we do." Davis let out a sigh as Tru leaned against the corner of his desk.

"And unfortunately for us, he's not up for sharing."

Silence fell between them for a long while. Neither was sure what to say or do. It was clear that Davis understood Tru's dilemma.

"You should try to find Jack. You at least owe him the knowledge that he died."

"Yeah...guess so."

"Stay in touch."

"I'll see you tonight," Tru said and took off.

She reached her car and stopped. She had no idea where to look for Jack. He just appeared whenever she was trying to save a life. Too bad he couldn't show up and save her the time of looking. Suddenly a thought occurred to her and Tru pulled out her phone.

"Let's see where you are, Jack," she muttered as she dialed his number.

It rang once before someone answered. "Jack Harper."

"Jack."

"Tru...this is a surprise."

"Yeah...believe me I'd rather not be calling."

"Something I can do for you?"

"Meet me for breakfast?"

"Only if you're buying."

Tru rolled her eyes even though Jack couldn't see the gesture. "Fine."

They hung up and Tru climbed into her car. This was going to be interesting. Jack sat on his couch looking surprised by the call. Tru hadn't spoken a word to him since Christmas. It had been a light week at the morgue and he'd been out of work so to speak. Still, he was intrigued by Tru's sudden contact.

Fifteen minutes later, he walked into the cafe and spotted Tru. She was sitting at a table near the back, well out of earshot of most of the other patron. He slid into the seat opposite her.

"So...why the sudden peace offering?" he asked as a waitress poured him a cup of coffee.

"It isn't a peace offering Jack."

"Ok...so enlighten me."

Tru leaned back, surveying him for a moment. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"It's a repeat day, Jack. Someone died last night."

"I'd know if it was a repeat day, Tru. We have the same....sensitivity to that. Or have you forgotten?" He took a sip of coffee, fixing Tru with a smirk.

"I guess it makes sense you wouldn't remember...you were the one that was dead."

Jack set the coffee mug down with more force than he'd intended. "I was dead?"

"Stone cold. Hit by a car."

"And if you're telling the truth that this is a repeat day...well damn."

"I was surprised too...you asking for my help. In fact, I was kind of betting against it, Jack. You of all people wouldn't want to mess with the universal order of things."

"Did they catch the guy that did it?"

"Don't know. You showed up in a body bag, asked for my help and the day restarted."

Jack cleared his throat, elbows resting on the edge of the table. He said nothing for a while, just contemplating the liquid in the mug in front of him. Tru watched him, her brow creased slightly in thought. What was he planning?

"I guess this means we'll be spending the day together," Jack said smugly.

"I never said I would help you, Jack. On principle I'm against it."

"Now Tru, that's not like you, refusing to help an innocent person in need."

"For you, I'd make an exception. Besides...how do I know you won't try to mess up my efforts?"

"You think I want to die?"

Tru shrugged. "You seem pretty into the whole letting people die that die on my watch."

Jack shook his head. "Even I can make an exception every now and then."

"Yeah…because pushing cancer patients off of clock towers is a real redeeming quality of yours."

"You just can't let that go, can you?"

"She was a cancer patient, Jack."

"Alright, past differences aside…I promise, I'll play nice and not try to subvert your every move. It is my life on the line after all."

"I guess that means I have to help you."

"So…hope you don't have plans for today," Jack said, leading back in his chair. He picked up the coffee mug again and took a long swig.

"Not anymore. Just…don't waste my time."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Tru."

Uptown, Harrison sat across the table from Meredith. It had been months since he'd seen his oldest sister. She'd been shocked to see him standing at her door that morning.

"So…what brings you by?" she asked.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing. Haven't talked in a while so…you know thought I'd stop by."

"Tru put you up to it, didn't she?"

"No." Harrison tried to look as convincing as he could but she saw through it. "Ok…so she asked me to stop by. But seriously, I wanted to see how you were doing. You're getting out of here in a couple weeks."

Meredith just nodded, a few strands of blond hair falling into her line of vision. It wasn't that she didn't want her siblings' sympathy and company. She just didn't want to hear them be moral and upstanding with her.

"So, how's life been treating you?" she asked.

"Not too bad. Dad bought me this sweet new apartment. I've been working for him for a while, you know."

"Oh…guess you two really reconnected?"

"Something like that. Yeah."

"What about Tru?"

"She's ok…seeing this guy from her med school class."

"I thought it was a photographer."

Harrison shook his head. "You've been way out of the loop, Mer. Luc died a few months back."

"Oh…I…Tru never said anything to me…I feel awful."

"She's dealing with it."

"Is she still at the morgue?"

"Yeah…she likes it there. It's a good place for her."

"You don't think it's a little creepy?"

"No way. I mean I wouldn't hang out there a lot but it's where she needs to be."

Just then, Harrison's phone began to ring. He pulled it from his pocket to check the caller ID; Tru.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Harry. How's it going with Meredith?"

"Good. Everything ok with you?"

"Yeah...about that...I need to tell you something but it's private."

Harrison gave his older sister a half grin. "I have to take this."

"Go ahead. I'm going to have another cup of coffee." Meredith stood, taking her cup into the small kitchen.

"Ok...what's up?"

"The person I have to save today is Jack."

"You're joking right?"

"Afraid not. I'm as happy about it as you are. Look...I need your help on this one. There's some things I have to do later today so I'll need you to cover for me."

"You really sure about this, Tru? I mean...we're talking about the guy that nearly had me-"

Tru cut him off. "I know, Harry. But...I don't have a choice. I wish I did."

"Ok, fine. Where and when do you need me?"

"I'll be in touch. Tell Mer I said hey and that I'll call her later."

"Ok. I'll let her know."

Meredith returned just as Harrison hung up. "That sounded important."

"Tru. Needs me to do a favor for her later. But she says hey and she'll call you later."

"Of course she will."

"Really, Mer. She will. But I have to go. Dad's expecting me at work."

Meredith smiled, reaching over to give him a hug. "I still can't believe you're working for Dad...and that you've had a steady job for so long."

"Thanks, sis. Your confidence is overwhelming."

"At least one of us is doing right by him."

"He's trying. I just wish Tru would see that."

"She always did feel the most abandoned by him."

Harrison just nodded, pulling on his jacket. "Thanks for breakfast. I'll see you later."

Meredith just watched him go, shaking her head. She loved her siblings but they drove her crazy some times.

"So, where are we going?" Tru asked as Jack weaved through the masses on the side walk.

"Nowhere, really. I don't exactly know what to do on the day you were supposed to die."

"Well keeping you away from cars might be a good start."

"Tru, just because I got hit by a car yesterday doesn't mean I'd die the same way today. I would have thought by now you'd have figured that out"

Tru rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm trying here. It's usually easier when it's strangers or someone I actually care about."

"I get this is hard for you, Tru. Trust me; it's not something either of us wants."

"Somehow, I don't think you'd be too broken up about me dying."

"Of course I would. I like you, Tru. You make things interesting."

"Thanks, Jack. I'd say the same about you except well…things were so much easier when I didn't know you were around."

"What can I say? Life's a bitch."